by Laura Scott
“I know you’re busy,” Merry spoke up, trying to smooth over Zack’s rough tone. “And I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
“We’ll do our best to find him,” Deputy Thomas assured her. “We take care of our own.”
She was pleased he’d included her as belonging to Crystal Lake even though she hadn’t grown up here the way Julie and Zack had. The moment she’d arrived, she’d fallen in love with the small town and the beautiful lake. There were acres of woods just a few miles away, and she’d seen dozens of deer in the past few years.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Have you been through the campsite?” Zack asked.
“I know Deputy Armbruster drove through,” Deputy Thomas admitted. “But I think that was about the time he was called away to break up the fight. I’ll head over there soon, and we all have the tag number of the black Jeep.”
“I appreciate that,” Zack said.
“Merry, I’d like to keep the note as evidence,” Deputy Thomas said. “We’re not likely to get prints, but we could always have a handwriting analysis done if needed.”
Since she didn’t want to see the note again, she wasn’t about to argue. “No problem.”
“Thanks again,” Zack said as they turned to leave.
Zack seemed to be deep in thought as they walked back to the truck. She found herself wishing that he’d give prayer another try, because she was convinced he’d feel so much better if he shared his burden with God.
But she couldn’t force him, either. Faith was something he had to accept on his own. And she had a feeling that Zack wouldn’t be able to find his faith until he finally let go of his sorrow over losing his wife and daughter.
She wanted Zack to have peace, even if he couldn’t bear to open himself up to love again.
____________
Zack kept a sharp lookout out for any sign of Caruthers as he drove back to his sister’s townhouse. He still couldn’t believe that the guy had gotten close enough to Merry to slip a note in her pocket.
Thankfully, Caruthers hadn’t done anything worse.
Dear Lord, please keep Merry safe!
The prayer popped into his mind almost automatically, the way he used to talk to God before he’d lost his family.
Two prayers in one day. And he didn’t regret them, either. For whatever reason he found it easier to pray for others, like Leonard and especially for Merry, than it was to pray for himself.
Would God listen to his prayers? Maybe, especially since both Leonard and Merry were truly deserving of God’s love and protection.
Zack was tempted to drive through the campsite himself, but at the same time, didn’t want to expose Merry to any further danger. Better for Thomas to do that, so he could go ahead and arrest Caruthers if he saw him or the Jeep. At least the note provided the proof they needed that Caruthers had violated his restraining order.
He pulled in front of his sister’s townhouse and decided to walk Merry and Ace up to the house before grabbing the cooler. Maybe he was being a bit on the paranoid side, but better safe than sorry.
A quick search confirmed that the house was empty. As he was dragging the cooler inside, his cell phone rang. He set the cooler down in front of the kitchen sink and reached for the phone.
“Hey Cole, what’s up?”
“Just giving you a status report,” his buddy said. “Unfortunately, we still haven’t found Calvin Reynolds. And he didn’t show up for his bartender shift at the local tavern, either.”
Zack couldn’t ignore the sudden chill that snaked down his spine. “Do you think it’s possible Caruthers murdered him?”
“Too early to tell. For all we know the two men are together,” Cole pointed out. “But yeah, it’s definitely suspicious.”
Zack wholeheartedly agreed. “I don’t suppose a missing persons report was filed?”
“Not yet, but if we don’t find any sign of him by tomorrow, then we may do that. I’ll send over a driver’s license photo of the guy, just in case he is there with Caruthers.”
“Thanks, I’ll be sure to share it with the deputies here.”
“You have the locals involved?” Cole asked.
“Yeah. I didn’t have much of a choice since I was stopped for speeding while we were trying to follow the black Jeep.”
Cole chuckled. “Would love to have been there to see that.”
“Do you have any other information?” Zack asked.
“Nope. As soon as we hang up you’ll get the photo.”
“Thanks, Cole,” Zack said in a serious tone. “For covering my shifts and for the help.”
“You know how you can pay me back,” Cole teased. “Introduce me to pretty Merry and we’ll call it even.”
“Fat chance,” Zack muttered. “Bye.” He disconnected the call, the sound of his buddy’s laughter still ringing in his ears.
True to Colton’s word, a text message came through a few seconds later. He stared at the grainy photograph of Calvin Reynolds, trying to remember if he’d seen the guy even in passing. Judging by the size of his thick neck, Reynolds was heavier than Caruthers, and with his long stringy brown hair and black eyebrow piercing, the guy would easily stand out in a crowd.
Zack still had Armbruster’s contact information so he forwarded the photo to him asking him to share it with the rest of the deputies. Satisfied that they had another clue to go on, he began cleaning out the cooler.
“I can help,” Merry said, coming up to stand beside him. Her sweet vanilla scent reminded him that he probably reeked like sweat and needed to take a shower.
“I’ll finish this,” he said. “You might want to stand back until I can get cleaned up.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said exasperation echoing through her tone. “How about we work together? Set the soft drinks and snacks on the counter and I’ll put them away while you drain the water out of the bottom of the cooler.”
For some reason her bossy tone made him smile. “Is this why you’re the ER charge nurse? Because you like to give orders?”
“Absolutely.” She opened the fridge and held it open with her hip as she tucked the leftovers inside.
The desire to kiss her again was nearly overwhelming, and he was glad when the cooler was finally empty and he had a good excuse to go outside.
He liked Merry, far too much for his own good. Working together with her in the kitchen only emphasized the loneliness surrounding him.
His choice, he reminded himself. Yet at the same time, he couldn’t help thinking that it could also be his choice to change his approach.
He could decide to share his life with others rather than keeping himself isolated from his friends and his family. He could even go as far as to widen his circle of friends.
After dumping the cooler upside down on the grass, he glanced toward the lake to where his boat was tied up beneath the canopy of the boat lift. An evening boat ride would be the perfect end to a great day. He and Merry could pack up the leftovers from the afternoon and last night’s grilling and stay out on the water long enough to watch the sunset.
Was he out of his mind to take Merry out on what any normal person would consider a date?
Maybe. But there was no denying that he enjoyed spending time with her. That he wanted to see her laugh, to watch the expression of awe on her face as they watched the sun dip behind the horizon.
And for the first time in a long time, he let go of the pain and sorrow.
____________
Merry watched through the patio doors as Zack dried out the cooler. His mood had once again shifted so that he seemed lighter and happier.
She wondered how he would feel about going to church with her in the morning. Obviously, she had to go since she was singing in the choir. But would he stay again, like he did today? Or would sitting through an entire service be too much for him?
“I’ll be right next door if you need me,” Zack called through the screen door. “Keep Ace with you, okay?”
“Okay.” Ace had settled down in front of the door, as if a bit worn out by spending the afternoon at the park.
Suddenly exhausted, Merry curled up in the corner of the sofa, rested her head against the cushion and closed her eyes. She wished she could spend more time with Zack. Sooner or later he’d open up and let God’s love shine through, and she found that she wanted to be there when that happened.
Was that being selfish? She didn’t like to think so. It was just that while watching Zack play softball she caught a glimpse of the man he used to be.
The man he could be again.
It struck her that his moodiness was more likely related to his struggles with faith, rather than having anything to do with her, personally. She hoped that Pastor John’s service would somehow find its way through Zack’s internal barriers.
She must have dozed again because she woke up when she heard Zack calling her name. “Merry? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said, putting her hand up to smooth her tangled hair. “Took a little cat nap, that’s all.”
He frowned in concern. “Are you still having headaches?”
“No headaches, just this weird exhaustion that hits me out of nowhere.” She stood, and then crossed over to the patio door where Ace stood wagging his tail in a way that convinced her he wanted to go outside. She opened the door and smiled as Ace bounded out to do his doggy business. Zack’s dark hair was damp, and he wore a clean pair of canvas shorts and a green T-shirt that mirrored the color of his eyes. The scent of his aftershave reminded her of their all-too-brief kiss.
He was so handsome, her heart ached with longing.
“Do you think you’re up for an evening boat ride?” Zack asked hesitantly. “If not, it’s no big deal. I just thought it would be nice to watch the sunset over the lake.”
“That sounds wonderful!” She didn’t even try to hide her enthusiasm. “I’d love to go for an evening boat ride.”
“Great.” Zack’s boyish grin went straight to her heart. “I thought we’d pack up our leftovers from last night in case we get hungry later.”
She opened the door to let Ace back in. “Sounds perfect. When do you want to leave?”
“Any time you’re ready.”
“Just give me a few minutes to freshen up.” She was feeling more than a little self-conscious about her wrinkled clothes and tangled hair, especially considering how Zack had cleaned up.
“No rush. I’ll use the time to pull the leftovers together.”
She nodded and slipped down the hall towards the bathroom located right outside the guest bedroom. Even though she knew better, she couldn’t help thinking of this little outing as their first date.
And more than anything, she didn’t want it to be the last.
____________
Thirty-five minutes later, Merry settled into the seat beside Zack as they headed out over the lake in his speedboat. Zack had insisted on bringing Ace along, since the dog clearly didn’t want to be left behind. Ace settled in the back of the boat like a sailing pro.
Merry noticed that Zack set a slow but steady pace, even though she’d be willing to bet he normally preferred speed. “You don’t have to go slow just for me,” she pointed out.
He flashed a wide grin. “Yes, I do, you’re still recovering from your concussion. Besides, I don’t mind. As soon as the sun goes down, it will be a no wake zone for the entire lake anyway.”
She didn’t understand all the boating rules, but since Zack seemed happy enough she let the subject drop. His kind consideration warmed her more than she cared to admit. He made a circle around the lake, glancing frequently at the For Sale signs.
“Are you thinking of buying?” she asked, when he slowed almost to a complete stop in front of one place.
He looked at her and nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it. Although it seems ridiculous since I can only get up here on the occasional weekend off work.”
Merry tried to ignore the leap of her heart at the thought of Zack spending more time in Crystal Lake. “It’s not silly at all, having both quiet time and fun time is important.”
“Yeah, maybe. Although I’m not sure if I can even afford any lake property at this point. I’m sure the prices have skyrocketed over the past few years.”
“Julie and Derek are thinking of selling the townhouse next year,” she offered. “Maybe an investment property would help pay some of the bills?”
He looked shocked at the news. “I didn’t know they were thinking of selling.”
She bit her lower lip, hoping she hadn’t let out any secrets. “Julie mentioned that they want to be in their own house before they have more children. Or maybe she was just thinking out loud.”
“Something to consider,” Zack murmured. “Although renting out the other side of the townhouse is no guarantee.”
“They had a renter for a while, but then the doctor quit the hospital to move back to Madison. Apparently, the lifestyle here was just too quiet for him.”
“Some people love it and others don’t.”
“I’m in the love it category,” she said, enjoying the cool breeze washing over them as Zack sped up a bit. “I hope they catch Blake soon, because I don’t want to have to move again.”
“We’ll get him,” Zack said with confidence. “Don’t even think of moving. Running isn’t the answer.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to mention that Zack had run away to Madison to avoid the constant reminder of his wife and daughter, but just then the edge of the sun touched the horizon and the bright yellow light shifted to a deep orange.
“Look, Zack, isn’t it beautiful?”
Zack shut down the boat motor so that they drifted along on the waves, the gentle rocking motion more relaxing than anything she’d ever experienced before. No wonder some people slept on their boats.
For several long minutes, they simply gazed at the glorious sunset. When the boat drifted sideways, Merry stood and turned so she could better see the colorful sky.
She was so focused on the sunset that she didn’t notice the larger wave from a passing boat coming toward them until it hit the boat, making the vessel rock sharply beneath her feet. She would have fallen if Zack hadn’t stood up and caught her in his arms.
“Thank you,” she murmured breathlessly. Being held in his arms caused her heart to race so fast it was a wonder she didn’t have a full-out cardiac arrest.
“Merry,” Zack whispered mere moments before he lowered his head and kissed her.
Chapter Twelve
Merry clung to Zack’s shoulder with her right arm, reveling in his kiss. He mouth was gentle yet firm, and the way he kissed her so tenderly while holding her close made her want to cry.
Zack was so different from Blake. Even though they’d only spent a few days together, she already instinctively knew Zack would never hurt her physically. In fact, she trusted Zack with her life.
But emotionally, not so much. Not that Zack would intentionally try to hurt her, but his wounds hadn’t healed and the scars from losing his wife and daughter might be too deep for her to overcome.
As much as she cared about Zack, she couldn’t deny that he hadn’t made any promises. There was a good chance he wouldn’t allow himself to have any sort of future. Not to mention, he hadn’t fully embraced his faith. Merry knew she couldn’t replace his wife and his daughter in his heart. Truthfully, she didn’t want to. But she didn’t think Zack would allow himself to care for her, either. Or for anyone else.
This time, she was the one who broke off the kiss, easing backward until he lifted his head and dropped his arms. He stared down at her in confusion, and even though she couldn’t see his eyes in the dim light she sensed she’d hurt him.
“Zack, I…care about you,” she said in a low voice. “But last night you told me you can’t give me what I need. And I don’t think anything has changed since then, has it?”
Zack let out a heavy sigh, lifted his hand to rub the
back of his neck while he looked away. “Probably not,” he agreed.
She tried to smile as if her heart wasn’t breaking. “I didn’t think so.”
“Actually, that’s not exactly true,” Zack corrected, abruptly swinging back around to face her. “You need to understand that for the first time in years, I feel happy. The time we’ve spent together has been wonderful and fun. I don’t understand why, but I feel as if the heavy weight on my shoulders has lightened a bit.”
A fissure of hope opened in her heart. “I thought you seemed happier since the last time I saw you, but I wasn’t sure if that was just wishful thinking on my part.”
“It’s not your imagination, it’s true.” He looked pensive for a minute and even though they were missing the glorious sunset, she didn’t glance away from him. “I guess it’s no secret that I bottled up all my feelings, keeping them locked away as if I didn’t have the right to be happy after losing Suzanne and Amelia.”
She nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“I guess I just haven’t been able to understand why I’m here while they’re gone.”
“Oh Zack, I know you’ve suffered more than anyone should have to, but you need to remember that God has a plan for you.” Merry prayed that she’d find the right words to help him understand. “It’s not really up to us to question God’s will, is it? All we can do is to ask for the Lord’s strength and wisdom to guide us through the difficult times.”
“I don’t know, maybe,” he hedged.
She knew she was right, but it was clear he wasn’t yet in full agreement. There had to be another way. “Suzanne loved you, didn’t she?”
He looked surprised. “Yes, of course.”
“And I know how much you loved her. Tell me, what if the situation was reversed? What if you’d passed away and Suzanne was alone? Wouldn’t you have wanted her to find love and happiness again?”
“Of course I would,” he agreed readily. “But that’s a completely different situation. Suzanne would deserve to have someone love her and to take care of her.”
“And you don’t?” She didn’t understand his reasoning.